


"Cat Fight" - Oneshot

by WritingWithADinosaur



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-13
Updated: 2018-10-13
Packaged: 2021-02-27 21:55:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,738
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22562833
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WritingWithADinosaur/pseuds/WritingWithADinosaur
Summary: You are part cat thanks to Hydra, but it did help you get close to Bucky. You both survive the events of Civil War, and the team is working on reconnecting. But not everything is picture purr-fect.
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes & Reader, James "Bucky" Barnes/Reader
Kudos: 3





	"Cat Fight" - Oneshot

**Author's Note:**

> So I am not insanely happy with the ending, but I do enjoy this story.  
> I wrote this before Black Panther came out, so I had no idea what the characters really were like or where the story was going. This is just my unknowing interpretation.
> 
> Any feedback is always appreciated!
> 
> \- DreaSaurusREX

You were originally from Chicago, but you’d moved after escaping from Hydra. They had targeted you, and thought you would be a good candidate for their “little experiment”. They wanted to genetically modify your genetic makeup to see if they could create a superhuman with the abilities of a feline but remaining human in appearance. Their tests were excruciating and never seemed to end, but they succeeded.

You’d developed retractable claws, impressive jumping and climbing skills, and very obvious patterns in your eyes and hair. Your eyes were now an unnaturally yellow color with a slitted pupil, like a cat’s. Your hair had turned black and now grew with gray stripes and streaks that looked surprisingly natural, closely resembling an American shorthair.

Hydra trained you to be one of their top assassins, and used your enhancements to make you one of the best in the world. They put a collar on you, an actual collar, and had thought that they could keep you confined to their facility.

That is, until you broke out. As soon as you did, you took whatever you could find from what had once been your home, and then fled; heading somewhere you thought no one would think to search.

That was about a year ago, you moved to Bucharest to start a new life. So did your boyfriend, James.

Throughout your time with Hydra, you had heard plenty about the Winter Soldier. You also had an idea of who he _really_ was, who he had been before Hydra. So when you ran into a beautiful man with a mechanical arm, you knew it was him.

The two of you were in a small local cafe, he was in line to order a drink while you were working on a sketch. You stood up and decided to get in line behind him in order to talk to him after he paid. You went to go and tap his shoulder once he was walking away from the cash register, but he had been on alert and ended up grabbing your wrist with his metal hand, causing some pain. Once he turned around and saw that you weren’t a threat, however, he instantly let go and started to apologize.

“Îmi pare rău, dor! (I’m so sorry, miss!)” He said in Romanian. “Esti bine? (Are you alright?)”

“Sunt bine! Vorbești engleza? (I’m okay! Do you speak English?)” You had only been in the country a couple of months; your Romanian was still very rusty.

“Oh yeah. Sorry, thought you were a local.” You finally looked up at him, letting him see your slitted eyes. “Are you sure you’re okay, ma’am?”

“Can we talk? I think you’ll find that we have a lot more in common than expected.” He nodded and lead the two of you to a table where you talked until the cafe closed.

The two of you had bonded over your abnormalities and became close very quickly. Soon you were living together and helping one another through your many problems. His problems were mostly to do with his memory and social skills, yours were more to do with your physical mutations.

So as to not raise too many eyebrows, you had invested in colored contacts to put over your cat-like eyes, giving them a dark brown color instead. Your hair wasn’t too crazy; nowadays, people would bleach and dye their hair all sorts of colors, so your black and grey hair wasn’t too loud. And you’d learned to control your claws like Bucky had learned to control his temper.

Over the course of your relationship with Bucky you’d helped him (and, subsequently, the rest of the team) deal with the Sokovia Accords and the aftermath of the civil war between the Avengers. But now that it was all behind you, everyone was slowly coming back together. There were still arguments and varying opinions, but nothing that couldn’t be worked out or taken care of over time.

It was one of those nights where everyone had to be on their best behavior. Tony was throwing a formal party in order to show a sense of unity among the Avengers again. You had decided on simpler makeup and hair to go along with your 1940s inspired dress (for your enjoyment, and Bucky’s.) You were a bit self-conscious wearing this dress because of a gnarly scar that extended down your entire right arm courtesy of T’Challa during the fight in Germany all those years ago. You were civil with the ruler of Wakanda now, but you couldn’t help but still hold a bit of a grudge.

Bucky tried to help make sure you didn’t focus on that. The two of you were standing around a small bar table with Steve, sipping some drinks and chatting. Bucky knew that it would help you if you were involved in conversation with not only him, but Steve too.

“I can’t believe how professional this thing is. Tony really learned the difference between a college party and polished event,” Bucky commented while doing a pan around the room.

“Right? This is a very pleasant surprise,” you replied, looking around the room as well. But your glance was quick, not wanting to draw attention to your eyes, and Steve noticed.

“Hey, (Y/N/N)? You’re not wearing your contacts?”

“Yeah. I tried to put them in and got frustrated and gave up cause I was running late.” You took another sip of your drink before freezing at a voice behind you.

“Ah. It seems this is where you three had run away to tonight. I was beginning to think that the scaredy cat of the trio had run away.” There was no mistaking that accent. T’Challa. Your grip on your cup tightened just a little bit, you could almost hear the glass crackling under the increased pressure. Bucky’s hand made its way to the small of your back, slowly petting you to help keep you calm. You took a breath before responding.

“We have been wandering around all night. Met with people, helped with getting a better public image. Where have _you_ been slinking off to, T’Challa?”

“Our paths must have not crossed; I apologize.” You were pleasantly surprised by his apology. You had expected some other snide comment about your mutation or not lack of ‘proper’ training or something equally annoying. “Just know that there is no shame in being scared. Just make sure you do not show weakness again. Or you may end up with more scars than that. ”

He nodded to your arm and began to turn away. You let out a growl that loud enough for Bucky and Steve to hear from the table. Your claws began to extend as he continued to talk, effectively negating his apology. Bucky saw your claws and made eye contact with Steve, but before either of them could get to you and get a grip on your arm to hold you back, you stalked up behind T’Challa and grabbed his shoulder. You applied enough pressure to make sure he felt your claws but not enough to do any damage, making him stop as you stepped around in front of him.

“Let’s make this clear, Kitkat. If we are supposed to be working together and getting the team back in working order, _this shit_ needs to stop.” He opened his mouth to speak but you cut him off with a small hiss. “Oh no, you are going to wait until _I_ am done talking. We don’t have the greatest relationship because you were a dick to me _and_ Bucky, but I am trying to move past it and _at least_ be civil with you. If you can stop being a royal pain in the ass, then try talking to me again. If not, work your shit out somewhere else.”

You were about to walk away and leave him with that, but then thought of a good last line.

“As much as you’d like to think that you’re the only cat in this game, you are _very_ mistaken. If you keep playing, you’ll find out that _you_ are not the one with nine lives, your highness.”

You made sure to say his title in an angry growl. You met his usual calm and collected eyes with your angry yellow slits. Before T’Challa could say anything, Steve stepped in.

“Alright, you two, _enough_. This is _not_ the time or place. (Y/N/N), go back to the table. T’Challa, Tony is waving us over. We will deal with this later.”

You backed down, retracting your claws and letting Bucky grip your wrist and pull you back towards the table. Steve was using his authoritative voice that he knew you’d listen to. Bucky wrapped his arm around your waist and handed you your drink.

“While I’m glad you stood up to him, I could tell how worried Steve was. Maybe don’t bring out your claws next time, doll? I’m pretty sure that’s where Stevie lost it.”

“I’ll try. But I could _not_ let him fuckin’ talk like that.” Bucky just smiled and kissed the side of your head.

“I know, sweetheart. He’ll come around at some point. I mean, hell, he’s finally okay with me. It just took time.” You just nodded and took another few sips of your drink. “I’m just glad Steve stepped in before it turned into an _actual_ catfight.” You looked at him and rolled your eyes. He just smiled and leaned in for a kiss, you turned and pulled away enough to talk.

“I’d rather not have to fight him, _again_.” You unintentionally pause and look down at the visible scar on your arm. You only looked for a moment before shaking your head as if you could just as easily shake away the mental image. “But if he tries me again, you know _damn_ well that I won’t hesitate.”

You picked up your drink and took an annoyed sip. Bucky wrapped an arm around your waist and pulled you a bit closer to him. He kissed your cheek before looking at you with one of those smiles that make your heart skip.

“I know that. That’s why I’ll be there to hold you back.” He took a sip of his drink before morphing his smile into a (somewhat) joking one. “Or help make him your personal scratching post.”

You couldn’t help but match his smile and lean in to kiss him.


End file.
